Friendship out of Nowhere
by Caneater
Summary: Roxas is new to the Organisation and starts having nightmares involving Sora's memories and his own. But once he meets Axel, the nightmares lessen. FRIENDSHIP FIC AxelRoxas
1. Roxas, meet Axel

Hey guys! Yes, I'm still alive, and I've reverted to another pair, other than Dramione...Axel and Roxas...a friendship fic...let's see how that turns out!

**Bold **= dreaming

_italics_= Thoughts

normal=normal (just in case ;))

Axel and Roxas don't belong to me, and neither does KH2. They all belong to Squeenix and Disney (although I'm not sure how Disney would be involved with Axel and Roxie).

Anyway, enjoy!

___________________________________________________________________________________

"**Thanks Donald!" a cheerful voice cried. Rapid flashes followed of a boy with chocolate brown hair, a dazzling smile and a gold and white keyblade.**

**His vision was jumpy, blurry, unclear. The only pictures he could see were filled with snow, as if there was some interference in his dreaming...**

**...pain, disorientation...**

**A flash of a sunlit island, three kids sitting on a tree branch at the beach. The same cheerful voice: "I'm glad I have you guys as my friends..."**

**Pain returned...then there was screaming and all vision was replaced by black, engulfing, confusing darkness.**

**Then a mouth appeared. "Welcome to the Organisation, Roxas." The voice was distorted, filling him with fear and excruciating pain.**

**A rushing noise filled his ears...**

Roxas sat up abruptly in his bed, panting hard. Sweat stood on his brow, drenching the front and the back of his shirt also. Tears mingled into the moisture on his face and Roxas found himself whimpering: "No...no..."

His mind was disorientated, and he felt as if chest was constricted. Roxas stumbled out of his bed. Holding onto the steel rail at the foot of his bed, Roxas pushed open the heavy iron door. He stumbled into the dank, damp, grey corridor, his body framed by the harsh light that came from an unknown source. Roxas suddenly lost all strength in his body and collapsed on his hands and knees on an iron door...which wasn't closed. Roxas fell inside the room...

The fire in the room went out.

"Who's there?" a cautious voice called out.

"Help me up," Roxas growled weakly.

"New guy?" the voice sounded shocked, even surprised, although it made no notion to help the boy up.

There was a silence.

"Well, if you're not gonna help me out then -"

"Oh, geez, sorry!" the voice apologized. A thin bony hand came seemingly out of nowhere and helped Roxas up. Roxas swallowed nervously and looked up at the shadowed figure. From the dim light in the corridor, Roxas couldn't see much of the guy. Although he could recognize the strangely colored hair.

"A-Alex?" Roxas asked cautiously.

"It's Axel," the figure corrected Roxas shortly. Axel clicked his fingers and a flame appeared in his hand, revealing a long pointed face with spiked red hair, bright green eyes with black tattooed triangles underneath them. He was frowning. "You don't look so hot," Axel murmured, eying Roxas' pale face and wet shirt.

"Had a nightmare," Roxas replied shortly. He swallowed again and added, "Listen, can I, uh, stay the night or something..."

"Yeah, sure," Axel replied quickly, if not uncertainly. He opened the door wider and let Roxas step inside. When Axel closed the door again, the only light in the room came from the flame in Axel's hand . There was a loud bump and a curse emitted from Roxas.

"Oh, crap, sorry little dude," Axel apologized again and with another click of his fingers, the flames sprung from his hands into the brackets inserted into the walls. The room was thus filled with a golden light. All rooms in the Organisation were arranged like this: A steel bed in the middle of the room (with a complementary mattress), a desk and chair to one side of the room, a cupboard in one corner, and a sink in another, with a mirror positioned overhead.

"Thanks," Roxas murmured. He was clutching the foot he had bumped on the steel leg of the bed.

"Do you want a shirt?" Axel asked, moving to his cupboard.

"Yeah."

Axel pulled out a grey t-shirt and threw it in Roxas' general direction. Without looking up from his foot, Roxas caught it with one hand. He then hobbled to the head of the bed and sat down. Axel looked at him skeptically. The new guy, Roxas, had appeared in the Organization only yesterday, or what felt like yesterday. Axel noticed he was a very quiet and reserved guy, and he didn't go out of his way to be friendly either. He had the aura of talk-to-me-and-you-die around him. Axel chose to steer clear of the new guy, despite his insatiable curiosity. The fact that the new guy pitched up on Axel's doorstep surprised Axel a little, he had to admit it. It wasn't like he was expecting the guy (if you remember, the door was half open when Roxas stumbled in), but he was used to random guests at random times. Axel was that kinda guy to go to with whatever.

Axel watched Roxas as the blond pulled off his own grey t-shirt over his head and replaced it with Axel's borrowed one. He stood up. Axel's shirt went all the way down to the blond's knees. Axel chuckled as he settled onto the foot of the bed. Roxas looked at Axel begrudgingly before he threw his damp t-shirt at the red-head. Axel caught it deftly before it reached his face and threw it in the corner.

"I'll add it to my laundry," Axel said.

"Thanks." Roxas took Axel's pillow and curled up around it, not unlike a cat, at the head of Axel's bed. Axel lay with his head at the bottom of the bed, his legs crossed at his knees so that his view of Roxas was blocked.

"Just say if you want me to hit the lights, cos I can easily...Roxas?" Axel peered over his legs and saw Roxas' eyes were closed and his breathing was even. Axel smiled gently. With a flick of his wrist, the fire in the brackets vanished and the only light in the room was darting around Axel's fingers...

* * *

Roxas had no other nightmares that night.

* * *

Roxas awoke to voices and the sound of a curious instrument. He raised his head a little to find some blond guy sitting on the edge of Axel's bed, holding something that resembled a guitar in his lap. _But where was Axel?_

Roxas rose up onto the hands, arching his back to pop all the inevitable knots accumulated during the night.

"Ah, the little man is awake!" Roxas immediately found Axel leaning on the wall opposite the weird guitar guy, toying with a flame in his hands. _Friggin' pyromaniac, _Roxas thought in the back of his mind.

"Oh, I didn't see you there!" the weird guitar guy said brightly. The music stopped and he held out a calloused hand. "I'm Demyx."

Roxas sat up and shook his hand. "Roxas," he said shortly. Demyx smiled cheerfully and went back to strumming his guitar.

"Well, _he's _awfully cheerful," Roxas grumbled to Axel whilst ruffling his hair carelessly.

"That's pretty much Demyx," Axel explained. There was a knock on the door. Axel jumped to get it.

"What's with the party?" a woman's voice said complainingly on the other side.

"Wanna join?" Roxas could literally hear Axel smirking.

Without a reply, Axel was pushed aside and a robust blond woman walked into the room. She looked at Demyx. "Hey, Demyx," she said rather aloofly.

"Larxene!" Demyx explained in delight. "Why the heck are you here?"

The woman called Larxene ignored the question: her attention was now focused on Roxas.

"You're the new guy." It wasn't a question. "Why are you in Axel's room," Larxene continued. _Now this was a question, although rhetorical. What's up with this woman, _Roxas thought to himself. "Why are you wearing Axel's shirt?" Roxas said nothing, but he didn't need to. Larxene's eyes widened as comprehension dawned on her face. "Axel!" she exclaimed delightfully. "Are you already banging the new guy?"

Instantaneously, Roxas and Axel's eyes went extremely wide. "Geez, Larxene!" Axel exclaimed outrageously. "Why do the worst options come to your mind?!"

"I can't help it," Larxene said with a grin and a half-hearted shrug. "Besides, even _I _think the new guy's cute. I really wouldn't mind banging -"

"Okay, out!" Axel shouted tersely, courteously showing Larxene the door.

"No," Larxene said evenly, crossing her arms. Axel seized Larxene's arm and stuffed her out the door. He shut the it with both hands.

"Seriously," Axel said without turning around. "Larxene can be fun, even pleasureable but sometimes..." he left the sentence hanging, whilst listening to Demyx' soft guitar thing. Then he turned dramatically. "And you," he pointed to Demyx. "Out. Now. I need to change."

"But -"

"Now."

Demyx hung his head and preceded to walk out the door with his guitar thing, looking like a sad, dejected puppy. Once Demyx disappeared, Roxas rose.

"You gonna be okay?" Axel asked.

"Yeah," Roxas replied softly. As he passed Axel, he added, "Thanks."

"Anytime."

And he meant it.

And? I'm not sure how Larxene actually is, I never really concentrated on her in the game. I usually make her a little...imaginary...

Review please!

The Caneater


	2. Some Nobodies like food

Chapter two! Enjoy ^^

___________________________________________________________________________________

Roxas stepped out of his room, wearing a set of black robes. He waved his arms a little, with a frown on his face.

Axel was leaning on his door jamb, watching Roxas for a few moments, thinking how cute he looked then, until he finally asked, "Like the robes?"

Roxas looked up. Axel was now standing opposite Roxas with his arms crossed. Roxas now realized how tall Axel really was, even though Axel's weight was on one leg and his hip thrown out.

"They're a bit weird," Roxas confessed.

"I like them," Axel declared matter-of-factly. "You can do cool things like this." He flipped his hood over his head, retracted his hands into his sleeves and stooped over. He then preceded to walk up and down going, "Ruhruhruhruhruhruhruhruh..."

Roxas couldn't help but crack a smile. He had to admit, it was very, very random but also rather amusing at that...

"Axel!" a voice cracked down the corridor. Axel was now silent, his head had snapped up although his body was still bent. "To the training room!"

Roxas tried to see who spoke, but he could only catch robes disappearing around the corner.

Axel straightened up. "Follow me," he said gravely.

Roxas followed Axel down a series of passages all very similar to the grey one where their rooms were located. They eventually stopped in front of a large iron door, guarded by a single, hooded black robed figure.

"Speak now, friend or foe." the figure demanded in a sinister voice.

"Geez, it's Axel," the red head said hurriedly as he pushed his hood back.

"Ah," the figure said pensively. "We were expecting you." The figure swung the door open.

Roxas and Axel stepped into a steamy and rushed atmosphere with voices calling out to each other with the accompaniment of steel and silver clinking together, punctuated with a few sizzles that resounded throughout the giant room.

"Where are we?" Roxas asked Axel.

"The kitchens."

This made Roxas frown even more. Why would there be kitchens in Nowhere? Axel looked over his shoulder at Roxas. "Just grabbing a bit of breakfast." He ambled to a fruit tray as he selected a banana, an apple and an orange. Now Roxas was _really _confused.

"Aren't you a Nobody?" Roxas asked.

"Of course I am!" Axel replied outrageously.

"Then we don't need food, do we?"

"I know that." Axel took a bite from the apple. "I just like eating."

Roxas cocked an eyebrow. He looked at the fruit bowl and shrugged. _I don't see why not,_ Roxas thought to himself. He selected a nectarine, threw it up in the air and caught it again. Satisfied, Axel led the way out of the kitchen, while Roxas followed, biting into the nectarine.

As soon as the exited the kitchens, there was an astonished exclamation.

"Master Axel!"

Roxas poked his head around Axel, nectarine in mouth, to see what the noise was all about. A hooded figure was standing in front of two other figures that were wearing similar attire except their hoods were pushed back. "I've told you once, and many times before that you are not to eat the food from the kitchens, Master Axel!" the figure shouted pompously.

"Well, who are the kitchens for exactly?" asked Axel in a muffled voice.

"The prisoners!" the figure exclaimed.

"We haven't had prisoners for, what, ten years now?" Axel resumed his position of the cocked hip and folded arms, except he had his half-eaten apple in one hand. Axel was waving it around as if to make a point about it. "The servants keep on cooking the darn food and there's no one there to eat it. So I take the pleasure in doing so."

The hooded figure stammered as Axel smirked and walked over to stand next to his fellow students. Roxas dutifully followed. He recognised one of the students as the weird guitar guy that was perched on Axel's bed that morning. "Nice save," Demyx whispered to Axel.

"Get that memorized, Dem. I now got us permission to raid those kitchens _anytime_," Axel said with a sly wink.

"Now that we are all _finally _present," the hooded figure announced with a sigh. "We need to get a little training done. Master Axel and Master Demyx, please remain on the floor. The rest can observe."

"All right!" Axel and Demyx cried in unison. Axel was grinning when he gave Roxas his orange and banana and his half-eaten apple. "Just sit, watch and memorize." He winked and returned to face Demyx. Roxas joined the other student to sit at the other side of the hall.

With a flash of flame, Axel summoned his duel weapons and spun them in his hand, as Demyx pulled out his guitar thing that Roxas saw earlier.

"Water versus fire," Roxas murmured, interested.

"Proves to be a good fight," said the boy next to him.

"Is it usually?"

"Always," the boy said with a faint smile.

Roxas bit into his nectarine again before asking. "What is that guitar thing anyway?"

"It's a sitar."

"Ah." And Roxas observed. Demyx sent a quick wave cutting across the hall. Axel stepped neatly aside and whirled his body around, releasing a barrage of flames in Demyx' direction. The blond threw up a shield two chords later. Soon afterwards, Demyx played a swift melody and many watery figures appeared, looking remarkably like the heartless monsters that Roxas had seen around Nowhere. Immediately, they began to attack Axel, and Axel retaliated appropriately. Despite the disadvantage that Demyx' water could potentially quench Axel's flame, Axel was doing extremely well, using his twin weapons to defend himself, but also using his feet every now and then when he needed the distance.

Then there was one Water Heartless left, and it looked a little different than the rest of the summonings. It resembled a samurai and it was slicing the air in front of him rather menacingly with his katana. Axel's green eyes narrowed and then covered himself with flames. With that, he rushed in, using his weapons and feet to defeat his opponent. Axel was perspiring with effort, and decided that it was too much. He burned Demyx' sitar strings with a shot of fire. With an outraged cry, Demyx replaced them with water strings, and immediately, the summoning melted into the floor. Then, in a matter of a few seconds, a giant wave of massive proportions appeared out of nowhere and engulfed Axel and his flames. When the roaring died down, Axel was left in the middle of the hall, drenched to his skin and looking absolutely livid.

"Oh, come _on_!" Axel cried to no one in particular. Demyx grinned. But before he could play another note, the whole training hall floor was up in flames, and so was Axel. "Let's roll," Axel said dangerously. He sent a tower of flame around Demyx, letting it lift him above the ground with accompanied roaring. With a loud clap, Axel bashed the tower and he let Demyx fall unceremoniously to the ground. Then Axel hit the ground with one of his weapons, the other one high above his head. With a roar, a hot flash of flames filled the hall once more and then it receded into a small circle around Axel.

"Master Axel!" The figure was almost jumping in anxiety as he made his way to Demyx. "I doubt you've dealt more than enough damage to kill your opponent!"

"I'm fine!" Demyx assured them. His hand was resting on his knees, the other one was up for assurance (because some people don't get the point). Axel grinned like a fool and made his way to where Roxas and the other guy sat.

"Master Zexion and Master Roxas! You also need some training!" the figure shouted. Almost immediately, the two rose.

"Where's my food?" Axel asked Roxas. The blond was empty-handed.

"I ate it," Roxas replied with a shrug.

"What?!" Axel exclaimed.

Roxas smiled faintly. As he passed Demyx, the defeated blond said, "Advice? Don't make Axel angry." He then slugged off to join Axel.

Presently, Roxas and Zexion were in the middle of the hall, facing each other. "Ready your weapons," the hooded figure cried. With a flick of his wrists, Roxas summoned his dual keyblades. He raised them, one defensive, the other offensive. Zexion extricated a large sword from his robe, that largely resembled a crystal kitchen knife.

"Let's go," Roxas said in a low voice. Zexion charged at Roxas. The blond stepped aside to deflect the attack. He then turned to attack Zexion with a back-slice, but somehow Zexion was quick enough to block Roxas' attack. Roxas smiled. _He's sharp._

For a little while, Zexion and Roxas sparred, dancing around each other, measuring each other's skill and speed. Then Roxas decided he had had enough. He faked an obvious overhead attack and surprised Zexion by taking out his feet from underneath him. Crossing his keyblades under Zexion, Roxas lifted him high in the air. Bunching his knees, Roxas jumped up after him. At the top of the ascent, Roxas started his attack, lifting the two of them higher and higher. Eventually, they were close to the ceiling, and then Roxas began teleporting around Zexion, barraging him in a series of assorted attacks. He finally appeared above Zexion and crossed his keyblades once more. With a shout, Roxas pushed Zexion down. Roxas' opponent plummeted into the wooden floor. Even though Zexion raised a shield just before impact, that didn't stop the giant hole made in the middle of the floor. Roxas dropped from the ceiling with one knee on the floor, the other bent. One keyblade was lining the floor, the other was held out above him.

A stunned silence ensued as Roxas straightened.

He flipped his keyblades once in his hands and they disappeared. Roxas then walked to Zexion and extended a helping hand, an apologetic look on his face.

Okay, I know the ruhruhruhruhruh stuff is really random, but I thought it was seriously funny when I wrote it, so I hope you guys get the point.

I apologize if I don't get the battle scenes right, but I'm not really experienced with em. Gotta start somewhere!

Reviews would be awesome!

caneater^^


	3. Chocolate cake

"**You won't get away with this!" **

**He whipped out his keyblades and began to attack the red head in an enraged fury...but the red head didn't lift a finger to defend himself. He let himself be struck repeatedly by the wielder of the dual keyblades, until he was curled up into a tight ball. **

**The sight of the red head was tragic, blood was strewn across his face, his black robes were torn, his arms hugging his body. He didn't so much as summon a flame. He just lay there.**

**With not as much as looking at his assailant, the red head said weakly, "Why? You were my best friend..."**

**The image faded away like paper being burned, then he could only see, feel and hear flames all around him...**

Roxas found himself sitting in his bed. He was crying.

_How could I dream something like that?_ Roxas thought to himself. It was _him _who was beating Axel up. And for no reason whatsoever. He felt outraged, incredulous, angry, overwhelmed and incredibly sad. Roxas dissolved into tears, taking his pillow and hugging it close to his chest.

Then, a single flame entered his room. Roxas stopped crying, feeling suddenly calm. He watched the flame encircle the room until it stopped in front of Roxas' face. Roxas closed his eyes and felt the small bit of warmth it gave him, the comfort and serenity...

The door creaked open. Roxas slowly opened his eyes and saw Axel's head pop around the door. "Didya like my herald?" he asked peevishly. But his face grew more serious when he saw Roxas' tear-stained cheeks. He frowned and stepped into the room. In one hand he had a plate with some dark substance on it, in the other was a single flame.

"Looks like I came in time for some cake, huh?" Axel said softly, smiling gently.

Roxas returned his smile weakly as Axel seated himself on the bed. But that didn't assure Axel. He still looked super worried. "What's wrong, buddy?"

Roxas said nothing but drew his knees up to his chest and hugged them tightly. Axel expanded his little flame so a small kind of barrier enveloped them, making them feel like they were left out of Nowhere...it was also to make Roxas feel a little safer too. Axel knew how intimidating it was to be new to the Organization and not feel at home. Although Axel couldn't remember how long ago it was for him. It felt like forever since he joined the Organization...this was _his_ home...even though it wasn't very homely.

But for Roxas' problem...Trouble was Roxas wasn't the type of guy who would make friends with everyone, like Axel did. With Roxas, it would take a while before he could ever feel safe in this place. And Axel went out of his way to do so.

It was a long time before Roxas spoke. "I had another nightmare," Roxas said softly. "It involved you." Roxas didn't look at Axel as he spoke. "You were getting beat up, real bad." He swallowed. "By me."

Axel said nothing, but his green eyes blinked once. Roxas said nothing for a while.

Then Axel said, "Well, I hope I was putting up a fight -"

"That's just it!" Roxas interjected loudly. "You weren't!" He leaped from the bed and faced Axel. "You didn't so much as raise a hand! You just let me hit you again and again and again..." The rest of Roxas' words were submerged by his tears.

Unable to take it anymore, Axel stood up and wrapped his arms around Roxas, drawing him close. Roxas submitted, allowing himself to cry openly into Axel's chest, clutching the front of the red head's robes, not willing to let go anytime soon.

"Axel..."Roxas sobbed into his friend's robes.

"Shhh, Roxie," Axel said soothingly. "I'm always here to beat your ass up, whether I'm helpless or not."

Roxas slipped his arms around Axel's waist and held him tight. "I just felt so _angry_," Roxas said, his voice muffled by Axel's robe. "Like you did something...bad. Like you hurt someone I loved. But that's kinda impossible 'cos you've been the only one whom I'm really close to."

Axel was struck by Roxas' words. Even though they were muffled by his own robe, Axel caught each word loud and clear and his felt his heart start to ache and soften...Hang on...Axel didn't have a heart. How the hell could he feel this kind of emotion at all? How could Roxas feel fear...how could Roxas _cry_...? But he pushed that at the back of his mind for now. Never had he felt so important in someone else's life like this. He felt like a guardian, appointed to protect the demons plaguing Roxas' soul. He was Roxas' only loved one...

Coughing slightly to hide his own tears, Axel looked down at Roxas' blond head. "Want some kick-ass chocolate cake?" he asked with a wry smile.

"Mmhmm," Roxas voiced his affirmative and let go of Axel. Before they sat back down, Roxas looked up at Axel and gave him a smile. Not a I'm-fine-but-I'm-not-really smiles. It was a genuine smile that reached to his bright blue eyes. That moment Axel swore to memorize. But that smile reminded him of someone...he couldn't exactly say whom...

When they finally sat down, Axel reached for the plate and gave it to Roxas. "This is friggin' good chocolate cake," he said with a grin. "I thought, 'cos you like food as much as I do, that you might want to taste it too.

Roxas took the plate and picked up the spoon gingerly. He scooped some of the dark, moist slice of chocolate cake and inserted into his mouth. His eyes twinkled in awe and wonder. "Is this...is this _caramel_?" Roxas asked in disbelief.

Axel frowned. "There's some caramel in it..."

"I really like caramel," Roxas said in a small voice before he took another spoonful. He licked his spoon clean and continued, "Kinda reminds me of Namine." To this, Roxas seemed rather distant.

Axel was instantly confused. "Namine?"

"She's this...girl...She lives in a mansion in Twilight Town."

"She a Nobody?"

"Yes."

"What the hell were you doing in Twilight Town?" Axel picked a piece of the cake with his dexterous fingers and popped it into his mouth.

"I don't know," Roxas said with a frown, inserting another cake-filled spoon into his mouth. "All I know it had to do with some guy called Sam? No, Simon. That's not it...So..."

"Sora," Axel said bitterly.

"You know him?" Roxas asked curiously, his head cocked to one side.

"Yeah, he's the reason why we don't have any prisoners anymore. 'Cos every time we get some, he always busts in to bust them out."

"Security not that tight, huh?"

"It's not that," Axel said distractedly. He leaned back on one hand, the other playing with a small flame. "He...always finds a way in, no matter what obstacle we put in his path. His courage and hope is...sickening." Roxas chuckled. "I mean, he's not exactly bright," Axel continued. "But he never gives up. He's a really irritating kid. Although..." Axel looked up at Roxas. "He kinda _does _remind me of you."

"Me?" Roxas was bemused.

"Yeah, the stuff you say sometimes and your eyes seem the same somehow...bright and blueish and real big."

"My eyes aren't big," Roxas said distractedly...he was still devouring the chocolate cake, if slowly.

Axel grinned and then asked, "So what about this Namine girl?"

"I told you. She's a Nobody from -"

"Twilight Town, I know."

"That's all I'm gonna tell you," Roxas said matter-of-factly.

"But that doesn't satisfy my curiosity," Axel said, peering at his hand again.

"Nothing ever does."

Axel ignored Roxas' last comment. "I mean, why does she remind you of caramel? Is it the sight, the smell? The...taste?" Then he hit a brainwave. "You _tasted _her?! My, my Roxie! You're not that innocent after all!"

Roxas almost spat out his chocolate cake. "What the hell, Axel?!" he exclaimed.

Axel chuckled mischievously.


	4. Sketching

"Roxas?"

"Mmm?"

"Do you ever get nightmares when I'm around?"

Roxas looked up at Axel with a frown. Then he went back to his sketch. "No, I don't," he replied.

There was a short silence.

"Can I ask...why?"

Roxas continued to sketch, "I don't know, I guess. I think it's just 'cos I feel safe around you."

Axel smiled. He played with a flame on his fingertips, leaning his back against the wall, his one booted foot against it to keep him from sliding down.

"Did you ever get them before you came to the Organization?" Axel asked.

"I don't remember much from before now. It's mostly a blur. I think it's 'cos me and Sora's memories were interlinked, so I can't really decipher whose memories were whose..."

Axel frowned, his flame growing ever brighter, burning warmer. He was wondering how to say this...

"Axel?"

"Mmm?"

"Why do you want to know all this stuff?"

Axel schmoozed his lips a little before answering. "I just wanna know. It's kinda what our friendship is based on so...it's good to know these things, you know?"

Roxas smiled.

Then Axel said more seriously, "Listen, Roxas. I really wanna stop these nightmares you're having. They're kinda hurting you and I'm supposed to protect you. And the only way I can really protect you from these nightmares is that I'm gonna have to be with you...always."

Roxas gave him a look, with an upraised eyebrow.

"Look," Axel said with a little stammer. "What I'm trying to say is-"

"You want me to move in with you," Roxas looked at Axel, both eyebrows now raised over his notebook.

"How did you guess?" Axel said weakly.

Roxas smiled. "I just kinda knew it."

"I kinda know how it's done though," Axel said, now a little agitated. He pushed off the wall and started to pace the room. "I mean, I heard of Nobody's getting married, so I guess two Nobodies wanting to live together shouldn't be a problem..."

"Axel." The red head stopped to look at Roxas, his hand to one side with a flame burning inside it. "Just go back to the wall," Roxas said irritably. "I haven't finished my drawing."

Axel automatically resumed his spot on the wall. "I'm sure if I can talk to Xenahort..." Realization dawned on his face. "Your _drawing_? _What _drawing?"

Roxas rolled his eyes. Once you got Axel's curiosity revved, you couldn't stop it with a fifty ton ox. He gave his sketch pad to Axel. It was a sketch of Axel leaning against the wall, looking quite pensive.

"Not bad Roxie," Axel said with a kind of awe in his voice.

"Thanks," Roxas said grudgingly. He stuck out his hand. "Now give it back."


	5. Fruit Salad

**Ok, here's chapter 5, sorry about the small delay...due to lack of internet access etc.**

**I just realised that this fic is very food-centric for some weird reason. I don't blame myself. :D**

**Note: this in NOT a gay fic. It sounds like it...but it isn't. **

**Enjoy! **

**Btw, I don't own Kingdom Hearts...Disney and Squeenix does**

"I feel like sea-salt ice cream," Roxas said one day. He had just moved into Axel's room and presently, Roxas lay on his stomach on the bed, his feet up in the air, his head resting on his hand. Axel, however, was showering.

"A What?" Axel shouted from inside the shower.

"Sea-salt ice cream," Roxas repeated calmly, looking idly at the dull bedspread. "Had it in Twilight Town. Think you might like it."

"Sounds disgusting," came the muffled reply. Roxas smiled in spite of himself. "How you gonna get the stuff anyway?" Roxas twisted his mouth in thought. "I mean, it's not like we're actually gonna _go _there and get some," Axel continued. Roxas' eyes brightened as a light bulb seemed to be turned on in his head. "'Cos that would be stupid..."

There was a sound of air being sucked into a very tight space very quickly. And Roxas was gone. Axel swore loudly. "Roxas? Roxas?!" No reply. "Damn. I need my friggin' towel."

Roxas stepped out of the portal and immediately he froze time for everyone...except for Roxas. Nobodys existed out of time, so it was easy for them to manipulate it in the Real World.

Roxas closed his eyes and breathed in the crisp air. Ah...he missed this place...All the smells and the sights, the memories..._Wait. What memories_? Roxas opened his eyes.

He recognized the area around him as the train station entrance. Roxas remembered it all...somehow...the golden hues of the bricks from the seemingly endless sunset, casting warm colors wherever the light touched. Roxas set to walk down the streets, memories flooding back to Roxas, yet he didn't know which ones were his.

Roxas smiled faintly as he entered the all too familiar market. He went to the stall where man who sold the sea-salt ice creams was. Roxas slipped behind the counter and rummaged at the back of the stall. _Gotta be here somewhere..._Aha! Roxas held up the rumpled piece of paper triumphantly. The recipe for sea-salt ice cream. He expected the man to know the recipe off by heart. If he didn't...Roxas never thought of that.

Oh well. He wouldn't miss it.

Roxas stole out of the shop, his black robes swishing behind him. Then he saw the hole in the wall, leading to the forest. Through the trees, Roxas could faintly see the white walls of the Mansion. He parted his lips.

_Namin__é__..._

No. He came here for ice cream, and that was it. Roxas turned his back to the Mansion stubbornly. But he felt some kind of tugging urge at his back, pulling him towards the Mansion. He bit his lip.

Time was frozen. No one would notice. Roxas just wanted to see Naminé one last time.

Feeling a little lazy and yes, a little impatient, Roxas tore open a portal in front of him that led into the mansion. The portal showed a white room, completely white, except for the drawn pictures stuck onto the walls. Roxas surmised that they were Naminé's. Naminé herself was sitting at the end of a long white table, sketchbook out in front of her frozen figure, pencil in hand. All was silent. Quietly, Roxas stepped through and the portal closed.

Naminé seemed shrouded in light that came from the large French windows **(well, what kind of windows would they be? Atlantean? Sheesh...)** around the room, so she seemed almost angelic. Her pale blond hair came to the middle of her back, framing her pale face. Her bright blue eyes were closed serenely, as if thinking, her lips parted as if in concentration. Captured in a moment, this angel was perfect in Roxas' eyes...it almost hurt his heart just to look at her. Roxas realized he was holding his breath.

He stepped quietly around the white table, his boots muffling the noise, until he stood between Naminé and the white table. Roxas swallowed nervously. It felt like such a long ago when Roxas last saw Naminé. His insides ached as he looked upon her graceful face. Roxas wanted to touch her...but he knew that if he did, she would become unfrozen and the whole thing would fall to pieces. Roxas looked at his gloved hand. Surely it only happened skin on skin?

Roxas hesitated as he leaned forward. He let his hand glance off Naminé's cheek. He held his breath as he watch her face carefully. Nothing. Letting his breath out slowly, Roxas reached tentatively until his whole hand was on Naminé's cheek. Roxas breathed a small sigh of relief, his breath idly blowing the soft tendrils of Naminé's hair. Roxas caressed her cheek lovingly.

He knew that he could never do this when time was unfrozen, when they were both breathing. But, oh how he wished he could! He examined Naminé's face, her breathtaking innocence and beauty...Roxas saw her pale lips. He averted his eyes, his eyes calculating as he bit his own lips. If this was the only way, his only chance...then...

Roxas looked at Naminé once more. He took a deep breath and leaned forward. As soon as their forehead's touched, Roxas heard Axel's voice in his head saying, _"Did you _taste _her Roxie?!" _He knew that he couldn't do it. Much as he loved Naminé, he couldn't do this when time was frozen for her. It wouldn't be fair.

Roxas pulled away reluctantly, his hand lingering on Naminé's smooth, perfect face. He stood up and turned away from the girl. Finally, he opened the portal to Nowhere. He took a step inside...

"Roxas!"

The blond whipped his head around in bewilderment. There was Naminé, again, but this time her eyes were open, one hand on her cheek, the other reaching out to Roxas. His heart started to race. Roxas turned, strongly considering to run back to her when the door banged open and both Roxas and Naminé looked to the now open door. Presently, someone was standing there, someone _very _familiar, someone who appeared in Roxas' memories as far back as he could remember. The chocolate brown haired, big blue eyed, giant shoed boy now looked at Roxas, mirroring his own bewilderment.

Then, a pair of arms grabbed Roxas from behind him and dragged him into the portal. They both fell back into a heaped tangle. Roxas extricated from the other and turned to face it.

"What is your _problem_?" Axel asked Roxas incredulously from the floor. He lay there in a rumpled heap, but his face looked very grumpy indeed. "What _compelled_ you in you little blond skull to go to Twilight Town, _alone,_ just to get disgusting ice cream?!" Roxas looked down at the floor. "But oh no! It doesn't stop there!" Axel continued hotly as he picked himself off the floor. "You wanted to see the love of your Nobody life, caramel girl, and who do you think walks into the room? Huh? Huh?!"

"Well, how was _I _supposed to know Sora would walk through that door?" Roxas burst out. "I just wanted to see Naminé. What's wrong with that?"

"Everything!" Axel exploded. "You could've been killed!"

"No one was moving! I _froze _time!"

"I does _not_, however, apply to Nobodys, or people that have Nobodys because _technically_ we don't move through time. Time doesn't exist for Nobodys!" Axel retorted heatedly.

"Well, _nobody_ told me that!" Roxas flared.

"That's because you're still in training! You were not _ready _to go on your own in the first place!" Axel hit the wall in frustration. "And if you wanted the stupid ice cream, you could've asked," Axel said as a afterthought.

"What?" Roxas asked distractedly.

"The kitchen staff know how to make anything. I mean _anything_. Just ask and they'll make it. Easy." Axel bit his lip. "Just...just don't do that again, okay? At least...not without me."

"Sure," Roxas said, seeming a little off. He stalked past Axel to the large iron door. "And I don't want just anyone to make the ice cream." He wrenched the door open. "It's the memories. Memories of my own that _I _wanna have and keep. I just wanted this one to be extra special." And he shut the door.

Roxas poured the turquoise mixture into the rectangular molds and stuck some sticks into them. He opened the freezer, shoved the molds in, and closed it satisfyingly. Roxas wiped his hands on his apron and smiled faintly. Something about cooking always gave Roxas a sudden boost in morale, a smile on his face, a spring in his step.

He looked around him thoughtfully, wondering what to do next. His eyes focused on a very large fruit bowl and his eyes sparkled.

Roxas walked into his room backwards as his hands were full. Mentally, he thanked Axel for always leaving the door partially open. Roxas never would have had the flexibility to use his feet to open the door. He found the tall, thin, red head on Roxas' own bed, brooding over a single flame on the palm of his hand, which seemed a little put out.

Axel looked up as soon as Roxas stepped into the room and Axel's face brightened considerably. The red head sprang up excitedly and ran up to Roxas, immediately encasing him in a huge brotherly hug. Roxas spread his arms around Axel, as not to knock over the bowls in his hands.

"Oh Roxie!" Axel cried. "I'm sorry for being so mean and horrible to you earlier. Just forgive me please!"

Roxas smiled secretly into Axel's robe. "I came with a peace offering anyway," Roxas said as a way of apology.

"Presents?" Axel asked skeptically, pulling away.

Roxas held out a bowl of fruit salad in front of him, smiling slyly. Axel looked at Roxas wryly. "I'm not a health freak, you know. Despite the fact that I gotta lose a bit of weight." Axel grinned as he modeled his exceptionally skinny and super slim frame.

"There's plenty of sugar in here," Roxas said assuringly. "I promise."


	6. Thanks for the memories

**Hello! **

**Here is Chapter 6...and a bit of a twist is to be expected. **

**Thanks for the reviews!! Though they were few, I can't complain and I thank each and everyone of you guys for being so awesome for reviewing!**

**I wanted to give this fic a little more of a dramatic feel...so tell me what you think...and you can't change my mind :P**

**Enjoy!**

**Btw, Squeenix and Disney both own KH...not me :D**

"A mission?" Axel raised his eyebrow skeptically. "_I _heard nothing about a mission."

"Apparently I'm going with Demyx," Roxas replied matter-of-factly.

"And I wasn't involved?"

"No."

"In _any _way, shape or form?"

"No, Axel," Roxas said exasperatedly. "It's just a small exercise. Clear some Heartless off the streets. Boring stuff."

Axel frowned. "Why would they want to do that?" Axel said half to himself.

"I don't know." Roxas answered his question anyway. "But it's just simple stuff. Nothing to be worried about." Roxas could tell that Axel was still edgy from Roxas' last trip to Twilight Town. "Besides, I got Demyx. I won't get hurt," Roxas assured the red head.

"I beat Demyx hands down," Axel said pridefully.

"He's still good with fighting Heartless," Roxas pointed out. He opened to door.

"You're leaving _now_?" Axel said, almost in a panic.

"Yes, I'm leaving now. And I plan on coming back. I promise. Quite worrying." And he went.

Axel was moping in the kitchen eating sea-salt ice cream a few hours later. Even though he knew that time didn't technically exist for Nobodys, Axel still thought that four hours was way too long for such a 'boring' mission. The kitchen door opened and Axel looked up hopefully...and saw Demyx.

"Man, I'm bored," Demyx said with a small yawn.

Axel frowned. "Why are you here?"

"I was always here, dude. What are you talking about?"

"So you didn't go on a mission with Roxas?"

"What mission?"

The realization hit Axel like a brick wall at 200km/h and he sprinted out of the kitchen wat a stupendous speed, leaving Demyx behind, looking quite ruffled.

"H-hey Axel!" Demyx cried after him, even though Axel was long gone. "What's this blue stuff?"

Axel's heart was beating faster and faster as he tore through the empty, cold, grey corridors, his legs carrying him to the most familiar location...his bedroom. It would be the first place Roxas would go. Axel barged into it, and almost cried in frustration.

"ROXAS!" he roared hoarsely. His voice echoed down the passages and returned to him unanswered. Panic had grasped both Axel's heart and a huge lump formed in his throat. _No! I must find Roxas!_ He told himself. He sprinted down the passages once more, but now his body was on fire (**he's sexy, I know :P)**_**. **_Fire was following his footsteps, following his shadows, running down the walls. Axel was in a fury and nothing, nothing was going to stop him now. When Axel reached the training hall, he stopped abruptly.

"What the hell are _you _doing here?!" he asked incredulously.

The figure answered, "Well, King Mickey said that I must go and -"

"Scrap King Mickey," Axel said, his flames flaring out about him. He could now see the boy's face. "Where's Roxas?" he said menacingly.

"Roxas?" the boy was confused.

"You're Nobody?" Axel screamed, his fury rising.

Sora scratched his head rather unthoughtfully. "I have a Nobody?"Axel sighed exasperatedly and rolled his eyes. Sora's eyes, however, widened in comprehension. "Oh, _Roxas_! I remember Hayner saying that -"

"So you know where Roxas is?" Axel asked desperately.

"I-"

"_Do you know where Roxas is?!_"

"I-"

Loosing his patience, Axel's fire grew ever brighter and he hurled a giant fireball at Sora, flinging himself soon afterwards. When Axel and Sora's weapons clashed, Axel bellowed, "WHERE IS HE?" Something inside Sora told him not to answer but to fight Axel so that the red head would get his own answer.

_He's fast_, Axel thought to himself as they fought. _This should be fun_. Axel was so sure he would have an advantage, after the several years that Axel had spent training in Nowhere. Sora was just a kid. Easy meat. Axel lunged in for a hefty blow, but he got distracted by Roxas' eyes. _No, wait a minute. This isn't Roxas!_ Axel blinked a few minutes to get his bearings back, but it was too late. Axel left himself wide open and Sora went for the spot. The 'kid' sent Axel flying across the floor, leaving Axel slumped against the wall, heavily injured.

Sora now stood over Axel, his innocent big blue eyes staring down at the red head. "I don't think it would be a good idea to leave you here. King Mickey said it would be for the best if I terminated you."

Axel was now thinking to himself, _is this kid a robot or what?_ But then the red head's eyes widened as he saw that Sora was being serious. He watched the gold and silver keyblade raised silently into the air, the only noise permitting to go through Axel's ears was that annoying key chain of Mickey's seal clinking musically against the metal. Axel realized that this was going to be his final moments and he didn't even have Roxas to help him through it...

As the keyblade were about to deliver the deathblow, two other keyblades blocked it, wielded by a hooded yet familiar figure that was standing right in front of Axel.

_Roxas..._

"Where the hell were you?" Axel asked rather spitefully.

_What? I saved your life and this is the thanks I get?_ Roxas thought to himself. But he didn't dare say it. Something inside Roxas told him that Sora was _his _opponent, that it wasn't Axel's time to terminate.

"I'll tell you later," Roxas murmured.

"Who are you?" Sora asked Roxas.

"I am your opponent," Roxas replied in a low, calm voice.

"Who are you?!" Sora asked desperately, his grip tightening on his keyblade.

"Does it matter?" Roxas growled through his teeth. He pushed Sora back and then almost immediately charged at him. Roxas fought hard and fast, knowing that this would be a hard earned fight. But he could also feel Sora holding back. "Come _on_!" Roxas bellowed. "I know you can do better than this!" Roxas knew exactly what Sora was to him. He just needed to find out if it was true...and if it was worth it all...

Then, Roxas flipped over Sora, and suddenly time felt like it slowed down completely though unmanipulated by Axel, Roxas or Sora. Roxas hung suspended, upside down in the air, right about Sora, his keyblades held out to support him. Sora, below, looked up at Roxas properly for the first time. A bond suddenly reformed between the two boys and a certain understanding was simultaneously in both Sora and Roxas' hearts and minds. Both memories were transported to the day they had encountered each other in the Twilight Mansion...

_Roxas..._

Roxas landed and time was sped up to normal speed. Roxas found himself wide open, but did no effort to cover himself. Sora spun round and slashed Roxas' open torso and the blond fell back, direly injured.

"Roxas!" Axel cried, tears of fury in his eyes.

_Axel..._Roxas thought with tears of pain. _I have to do this._

"I have to do this," Sora said quietly. He looked at Roxas with wonder in his eyes. The blond's hood was thrown back, and he was staring right back at Sora, his face almost a mirror.

_Naminé..._

"Naminé," Sora said profoundly. "Naminé misses you a lot."

Roxas smiled and closed his eyes. Suddenly, a bright light surrounded both Roxas and Sora, enveloping them completely in its radiance. Axel was trying to stand to stop this. "Roxas," he mumbled. The light filled the room completely and Axel found himself thrown back up against the wall. But he didn't care about that. He screamed as he realized the essence of Roxas was slipping from his memories. Then the light faded and Sora fell to his knees, looking pale and very blank. Roxas was nowhere to be seen.

"Roxas!" Axel screamed, tears coming to his eyes. "Where are you Roxas?" he sobbed mournfully, hugging his knees for some form of comfort.

Axel opened his blood-stained eyes to look at Sora in the half dim light. Still no sign of Roxas.

_He's dead..._

Axel blinked his eyes profusely, figuring it was the only way to get rid of the thought at the moment.

_Maybe...maybe..._

Axel remembered Diz saying something about a Nobody and a Heartless merging...or was it human? Axel shook his head in confusion. But much as Axel didn't want to think about it, he was still curious to know if Diz was actually right.

Axel dragged himself along the sandy, dusty training floor boards towards 'Sora', the only thing keeping him from slipping back into unconsciousness was the possibility of seeing Roxas again. When he reached the prone form, Axel hesitated to touch it. What if it wasn't Roxas? Then what? Axel pushed that thought out of his mind for the moment and, with great effort and difficulty, he turned 'Sora' over.

There he was. When Axel saw the face, the tears came back to his eyes. He didn't know if it was the trick of the light, but Axel could swear he could see both some Roxas in Sora's face. It was as if Roxas had sunken into Sora's face and Axel could see both of their faces at the same time. He could see every little detail about each boy's face at the same time. But he noticed one thing that didn't make them so different from each other. It was their eyes. Axel knew it. And here was the proof.

Drops of some kind of see-through liquid splattered onto Sora's face. Axel put a hand up to his own face and realized that the liquid was coming from _his _eyes.

Axel was crying.

Wasn't it impossible to cry? Axel was a Nobody, unable to feel any emotions, but somehow it felt like his heart was aching with sadness. But Axel didn't care if he was crying. He was actually happy. Somehow, both Roxas and Sora (although disgruntled with the latter) opened up Axel's emotions and made him feel again for the first time in years. He also knew that if Sora stayed here long enough, Xemnas would get his hands on them and possibly kill them both (Axel _didn't _forget about Xemnas' orders a few weeks back to kill Sora. Axel chose not to tell Roxas that.). With a small sigh and a wave of his hand, Axel summoned a portal to Twilight Town. He'd sent them to the Naminé girl. She appeared to be some kind of link between the two of the boys. She should know what to do with them.

With another painstaking effort, Axel rolled Sora unceremoniously into the portal. He watched with some kind of wrenching feeling as Sora went through and the portal closed. Axel already missed Roxas.

What made it worse was that Axel was unsure when he would see Roxas again.

**Didn't expect that, now did ya?**

**It technically isn't a character death, so you can't criticize me for the :P. But if you want me to put it up for any future users that read this, then please say so in your review :). **

**Hope you enjoyed this one!**

**Please review!**

**Caneater**


End file.
